Seriously, this is not a hot pastrami sandwich town. If there's one worth having I haven't found it yet. Someone will undoubtedly mention Manny's but those people clearly have not had a good hot pastrami sandwich.

Agree that you cannot find pastrami here to compete with the best in NYC, or even Langer's in LA for that matter.If desperate you can try Manny's or Perry's. My favorite is Romanian Kosher, but that's all the way up near the northern limits of Chicago at 7200 N. Clark.

I agree with Ferret on this one. Your other posting says you are from DC. Take the train to Baltimore & go to Attman's if you want good Jewish deli food, without traveling to NYC. It's not one of Chicago's strengths.

Oh belive me I know where I can get a good hot pastrami sandwich,as I used to co own a Jewish deli in Bethesda,MD and I used to use Carnegie Deli Pastrami. I was just inquiring. I know what Vienna Hot dogs taste like,just looking for something uniquely Jewish in Chicago!

Something uniquely Jewish? Let me bring up Manny's. Not for its corned beef or its pastrami; not impressive by NYC or even East Coast standards (although its boiled beef brisket on onion roll is something now difficult to find), but it is simply one of the last Jewish cafeterias of its kind. These used to be a fixture on Chicago's near West side, and Manny's is the last of the breed perhaps anywhere (with the possible exception of one in Indianapolis that I haven't yet been to):http://www.mannysdeli.com/

It's also kind of a Chicago institution, and in that respect, too, perhaps worth a detour.

Belden deli will do if you really need a corned beef fix, but it's hardly a destination for great Jewish Deli. It's a real missing in this city. There is Max and Benny's up in Northbrook, but even that's not fabulous. Your other option is to drive the five hours to Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, MI.